Democratic Rep. Ami Bera will face Republican Doug Ose in California’s 7th District this fall, according to Associated Press results of Tuesday’s primary.

Ose outpaced other Republicans in the race, including tea-party favorite Igor Birman and 2012 Senate nominee Elizabeth Emken, and now has a chance to return to Congress after serving three terms ending in 2004.

Bera won 49 percent of the vote, and Ose won 26 percent, with 54 percent of precincts reporting in the Sacramento-area battleground district.

Bera defeated GOP Rep. Dan Lungren for the seat by three points in 2012, while President Barack Obama carried the district by four points.

The race is already a big target for outside groups. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent $300,000 supporting Ose with television ads before the primary. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has tentatively reserved $1.7 million in fall airtime. And Democrats’ House Majority PAC has reserved almost $200,000 for late-stage television.

Ose accused House Majority PAC of meddling in the Republican contest through mailers that hit the candidate on veterans’ issues — a timely attack just as the Department of Veterans Affairs scandal unfolded in Washington.